Chapter 11: Collecting Family

Lady Black calls Binks and asks him if he can find Andromeda Tonks nee Black since she had been kicked out of the family? He says yes Missus, if she has Black blood, I can be finding her with ease. Melania tells him she wants to send her a letter and for him to wait on her response, she asks for quill and parchment and when Binks returns she writes:

Dearest Andromeda;

I know this must be as big as a surprise to you receiving as it is to me writing this. There are things going on you need to be aware of. Lord Black and I ask that you your daughter and your husband Ted floo to Black Manor tomorrow night at 6PM to meet with us and let us explain what has happened and more importantly what is likely to happen. Andi, I know things have been hard for you but we still love you and you don't know it yet but there are others that love you also. Please accept this invitation and come, you won't regret it. We never agreed to you being disowned and kicked out of the family but your mother and father were insistent and we didn't do you justice by not getting your side and for that we are sorry. Binks will wait on your reply!

Love;

Lady Melania Black(Auntie Mel)

At the same time Lady Potter is writing a similar letter to James and Lily Potter telling them to contact Sirius and Remus and get them to Potter Castle and wait on them to come collect them at 6PM tomorrow evening. We will answer as many of your questions as possible then, just have them there and be ready. She then calls Claymore and sends him with the letter.

It was now that Lord Black sits and asks Lord Potter and Harry to join him as he reads thru the marriage contract of Narcissa Malfoy, nee Black. It has the normal marriage language, she has to be kept in her heretofore accustomed manner and as such she was granted a dowry of...Lord Black's eyes were livid, never has a dowry been this high except for a Princess of the crown, a million God Damn galleons! I will kill my brother and his bat-shit crazy wife! Lady Black sternly says language please and continue reading, I am sure Harry here has a very clever plan to retrieve those galleons, destroy Malfoy and hurt the Dark Lord all at the same time! Lord Black's still seething but continues to read and says that in order for him to annul the wedding and reclaim the dowry, Narcissa herself, and any children there would have to have been infidelity, abuse, or jail time. So far none of those could be proven so just what was Harry's plan? Harry asks Lord Black if Lord Malfoy had ever set foot in one of House Black's properties, Harry would never allow Malfoy into Black Manor. Lord Black says no that Narcissa nor Lord Malfoy had ever been in any of the Black properties except her parents' home and their vacation home in Venice. Harry just smiled and asks Lord Black if he felt he would like to join in a prank that not only could get the galleons back from Malfoy and thus Voldemort, but also free his niece from a future hell, but stick it to his hated sister-in-law! Lord Black smiles and says I think I could be convinced but this sounds like something Sirius would do, Lord Potter speaks up and says yes and James and Remus would be right there with him! Harry lays out the plan, after Thursday's honour duels, Lord Black would send a message to Lord and Lady Malfoy requesting a meeting to discuss the future and the changes that would now take place in the Wizengamot after the loss of so many dark family votes. Malfoy would see this as an opportunity to maybe guide some power back towards himself. Harry knew Malfoy would never pass up this opportunity. Harry asked Lord Black to make sure his pensieve was available and that Lucius Malfoy's name was on the one-off list of the visitors allowed to whichever property they used. Lord and Lady Black grinned at the same time as Harry's plan clicked in their minds, once Malfoy accepted the invitation and entered the property of his own free will then he would be magically and honour bound to speak the truth while there, they knew that Malfoy would think his mind arts would keep him safe but the Black's had been around almost as long as the Potter's namely since around 1014 A.D. and their magic was stronger by far! They had plans ready and felt confident as Harry had already shown these Deatheaters were no match for him, but no plan survived first contact with the enemy, or did it?

Tuesday, Dec 4 6 PM: Black Manor

Andromeda, Nymphadora and Ted Tonks step into the floo at the Leaky Cauldron as their flat in muggle London didn't have floo access and ask for permission to enter Black Manor.

Lady Black is waiting and grants access immediately. Andromeda and Ted are nervous as hell and Lady Black senses this and reaches over and wraps Andromeda into a fierce hug that is slowly returned and says Andi please feel welcome here and welcome home and winks at her, she then hugs little "Dora as Ted's shoulders relax a little but he still has to face Lord Black. Lady Black leads them into the parlor where Potter's are awaiting James and Lily's arrival with Grayclay. It is just a few seconds later that Grayclay pops in with James and Lily and then repeats it with the arrival of Sirius and Remus Lupin. Lord Black welcomes everyone to his home and has Binks bring light drinks in because dinner would be served at seven. He then says there are things that have happened, are happening and things we have learned that are going to lead to dangerous and painful times but if they stay the course and stay together then they would be fine. Lord Black looks at Andromeda and tells her she is as beautiful as ever and he can still laugh at the times she and her sisters would get up to all mischief. She gives a short laugh but speaks up and says Uncle it is great to see you and Auntie again after these few years but I am no longer a Black, why am I here? Lord Black's demeanor changes and says to her that things are more important that the dribbles of some maniac's neophyte like Walburga Black and family is one of them. He explains that he had someone explain to him how wrong it was as to what had happened to her and wanted that fixed and after listening and agreeing he wanted to offer her her place back in the family and all that entails if she wanted it. Andromeda looked at her Aunt's Melania and Dorea and smiling and then at her husband Ted who nodded his head and she responds to Lord Black with, Uncle it is my most fervent wish to welcomed back into my family but I can't in good conscience ever call my blood parents mother and father again. Lord Black shakes his head and says I can understand that but this offer doesn't involve your parents, I, Lord Black am offering this and it comes with all the benefits and costs that entails. Do you want to be a Black again? Andromeda smiles and says yes, Lord Black, I Andromeda Tonks nee Black do request to be reinstated to House Black with all benefits and obligations that it entails. Lord Black states that a proper dowry would be deposited in Andromeda's vault as well as access to her Black Family account! She was hugged by everyone especially her aunts. She was perplexed by the hug she got from the broad-shouldered young man she felt like she should know but knew she had never met! Lilly just stares at Harry but doesn't say anything, but she feels a closeness of family as she listens to the others. Dorea sees the look of confusion on Andromeda's face and say's Andi let me introduce you to your cousin who recently arrived from the mainland. I would also like to introduce Harry to Lily, James, Sirius and Remus. They all shook hands and passed pleasantries for a few minutes when James asked Harry where he was from and how long he was staying. Lord Potter speaks up and says it was found during an inheritance test that Harry was Lord Peverell, the first in over two hundred years, as well as kin to the Black's and Potter's. The others were amazed but Dorea says there is more they all should know and that is the reason they were all there and would be staying at Black Manor or Potter Castle.

Lord Black says we have things to discuss and things to let each of you know, especially why James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus were gathered and secluded behind the wards of our family homes. Andromeda please don't feel slighted at not being summoned sooner but after the Lord and Lady Potter were attacked..."WHAT". James and Sirius jumped up and said together. Lord Potter told them both to sit down and they will hear the story but not to interrupt again until it was told. Lord Black starts again, Andi we knew you would be safe until you were brought back to the family because of your parent's stupidity, so we felt we could wait a few more days. There are He-who-must-not-...to hell with it, Voldemort has his bootlickers trying to scare people to donate to his cause or have them killed. Lady Black and myself were attacked three days ago in Diagon Alley by seven of the swine but we were saved by Lord Peverell, who took down all seven in seconds. I could have fought off two or three and Melania could have held her own against any one of them but together without Lord-Harry's intervention we would have died. Then Monday right before the Wizengamot Meeting Lord Charlus and Dorea were attacked by four more bootlickers, again Harry intervened at the right moment and again captured the criminals.

Lord Black says at this point I think Harry should take over the rest and what we are gonna do about it. Harry says first, I am Harry not Lord Peverell or any of the other titles that I have attached to my name, Lord and Lady Black and Lord and Lady Potter both nod as if to say don't say any more yet! All eleven of those scum that attacked our kin were captured and turned over to the Aurors where they were summarily released because they claimed to be Imperios'd and by law, they could not be forced to testify under veritaserum because they are Pure-Bloods. James starts to say something but Harry raises his palm and says just wait and listen. Monday at the Wizengamot Meeting I claimed my Lordship of House Peverell after being presented by Lord Black, who then says I'm Uncle Arcturus unless we are in a formal setting. Harry says, Uncle Arcturus presented me and we thought some of the members were gonna have a stroke when I sat between Auntie Melania and "Auntie" Dorea. It threw them off their game as I was between a Black and a Potter.

Now here comes the fun part, after I was confirmed and seated and old whisker face asked for any legal items and the Minister and Head of the DMLE said everything was fine and nothing to be concerned about when Uncle Arcturus stood up and asked about no charges being filed and got the bullshit about the Imperius claim. Lord Black then told them all if he couldn't get justice for Lady Black in court, he would get in one way or the other and challenged them all to an Honour Duel(he named everyone who attacked them), testify under veritaserum or he would declare a blood feud! Of course, Minister Bagnold and Dumbledore argued against the use of violence but we will have justice. After things started to settle in the meeting Lord Potter asked to speak and he then brought out the attack against him and Lady Potter and he issued the same challenge to those four (he names the four who attacked them also), they too having little choice because a blood feud would see their houses destroyed accepted. Sirius looked at James and almost as one said, how will the two of you, Lord's Black and Potter, fight eleven wizards and survive, Sirius says I know you are both very deadly but those are some of He-who-must-not-be-named best fighters. Harry continues and says they won't be in the dueling pit, I will, I will kill each and every one of them. But I have a plan that will get them all in the pit at the same time, and I hear you two (James and Sirius) are very good yourselves and always love a good prank, are you interested? James and Sirius look at each other and say together, to get a chance to kill the bastards who attacked our family, yea count us in! Harry says I will do the killing, I just need you to help me piss them off and get them to agree to get in the Pit all at the same time against us three. Your job will be to shield me for about twenty-five seconds, I will teach you a shield that will stop any spell, even the three unforgivables. Harry looks at Andromeda and says, Mrs. Tonks you don't know me but as a member of the Black family I trust you implicitly and by proxy that goes for your husband, I would like to ask that either you or your husband sit in the Peverell seat as my proxy in the Wizengamot. I will not tell you how to vote all that I ask is that you oppose anything that could benefit Voldemort or his cronies, especially Lucius Malfoy, and his ilk. Andromeda looks at Harry and asks Lord Peverell I notice you call he-who-must-not-be-named by Voldemort, why is that. Harry smiles and says Andi, if I may have leave to call you that, you are a true Black. I call him by either his Christian name which is Tom Marvolo Riddle or his made-up moniker Voldemort, he is neither a PureBlood nor a Lord. He is the bastard son of Merope Gaunt and a muggle Thomas Riddle, she used a love potion on his father and let the potion wear off after getting pregnant thinking he would love her. He was a dashing young man and well to do while she was poor and rather plain even though she came from a pureblood family. Once Thomas Riddle realized she was a witch and had potioned him he left and she ran away. She died shortly after giving birth to Tom and he was raised in an orphanage before Albus Dumbledore brought him to Hogwarts and he started his descent into madness! I will kill him but first I will destroy all his followers! James says you sure seem pretty sure you can do all this when Lord Black says, I saw a little of what he can do and believe me those eleven that attacked us and Lord and Lady Potter will die Thursday. Andromeda says Lord Peverelll, Harry, I think it would be best if I sat proxy in your seat as it will cause less turmoil and Ted is really busy with his practice, that is if it is alright with Uncle Arcturus. Harry looks at Lord Black who nods and says that is great, Andi, you will sit in my seat and Mr. Tonks, who them speaks up and says call me Ted, I would like to hire you as my solicitor for House Peverell, send your retainer fee to Griphold, at Gringott's and he will see you paid. Lord Potter then speaks that it is getting late and that Lord Peverell, James and Sirius have a prank to prepare for tomorrow.A/N; Some of Harry's acquaintances may die in this fic, all of those he primarily went back to save will survive. This will get brutal shortly so buckle up! I don't own or profit from Harry Potter!